Say What!
by enRei
Summary: The fox loved reversing reality;the blonde hated dying. The misfit duo has come across one thing that sent chills down their spine: settling in. With these two, nothing is easy. Beware the AU, OOC and BL.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: No, just... No.**

Two red dots shined in the dark; carefully observing its target. Never moving, never showing its discomfort, and just watching the bulky man in front of him. The muscle mountain wasn't that impressing; really, the only interesting thing in his appearance was the blood on his shirt. The blood that belonged to the sprawled, not to mention dead, blonde on the floor. There was a gaping hole on the boys head, and bits of his brains were swimming in the red pool beside him. It wasn't a nice sight and the scene itself looked like one from those scary horror movies.

Beside the two of them, there was a small child, a girl, trembling in the corner, inaudible tears streaming down her face. Who would blame her; she just witnessed her drunkard caretaker murdering her first real friend. The two of them were playing together, like always, making cookies and tickling each other. When suddenly, _he_ came, babbling about debts and unthankful whores; the minute he saw her, his face went red with anger, which proceeded with him snapping at her.

Her friend tried his all to defend her, _save_ her from his clutches, but he was weaker than him. One thing went to another, and the next thing she knew, it was red. The boy lied there, immobile and pale, while _he _shook with anger, and maybe fear. It was wrong, oh so wrong! They were supposed to get out of this hell hole together! She was supposed to become the best doctor there is and he… he was supposed to be there with her! And now, she thought; now he was dead. Gone. Terminated.

And she was all alone again. Alone with that irresponsible man, who only cared about his well-being.

The man moved; grasping the dead body, dragging it across the floor with all his might. She knew he was trying to get rid of it, so that nobody will notice, so that he could roam free. She wanted to scream, to alert the world of what has happened, but just couldn't find her voice.

There was a loud _thump_ and the world wasn't dark anymore. A pair of cold, but soothing arms encircled her, and she could feel her body relaxing.

"It's okay, you're alright now."

"He… He killed him…"

"I'll take of the rest, don't worry."

Looking up, she locked her eyes with her rescuer; it was a woman, blonde and beautiful. Her unusual amber eyes shone sadly. She felt… safe, there in her arms. She didn't know who she was, but everything was better than the devil who murdered her friend.

"What's your name, cutie?" asked the woman, slightly squeezing the girl.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura." answered the pink haired girl, her emerald eyes blinking shyly. The amber eyed lady chuckled.

"Well Sakura, I am Tsunade and from today on, I will be your new mother."

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><p>Kurama really hated situations like this; couldn't the brat lie off a little? He got that he was empathic towards the poor, ill-treated orphans, but still… Couldn't he watch out for himself a bit more? Remembering who it was, Kurama dejectedly decided that no, he couldn't.<p>

He went way out of line now. And not just today; every single time a scenario like this popped up, the brat did it dramatic. Royally dramatic, he had to admit. But still, all this crap was _really_ unnecessary. It was troublesome, for Kurama was the one who had to clean up the mess.

The foxed jumped at the drunkard, never paying attention to his confused shrieks; though he couldn't help but question whether this man bathed _at all_. Uh, guess not. His red eyes quickly located the man's, and without the moment notice, he plunged into his memories.

He scoffed at the most of them; he was nothing more than uncured alcohol with an uncanny likeness to bullying. His wife left him, boo-hoo, even the prostitutes ridiculed him… Nothing unusual here! When he found the one he was looking for, he set out to work. Everything from the moment he met the brat he killed, Kurama erased. They did not need a thing like crazy drunky chasing them. He didn't worry about the girl, even if she told anyone; the scene was clear, Kurama himself took care of that. It was like the crime never happened, and if some of the psychics wanted to venture his mind, none will find the memories of this night. He was _just that good_. He couldn't help but grin prudly.

Grunting in displeasure, he jumped off, letting the body fall over like a doll, before turning to his companion. The boy was twitching and grunting; that is until he finally sat up, holding his head in pain, while his wound miraculously healed itself. When the process was completed, he opened his eyes, glancing back at the fox.

"Yo." Was his witty, a little bit hoarse reply. Kurama gritted his teeth, sensing a storm coming his way.

"Yo? That's all you got to say after _everything_ that happened?" The boy stood up, albeit a little shakily.

"Want a candy for your effort?" Kurama growled dangerously at the boys antics.

"I don't want a damn candy! What I want is for _you_ to be careful, idiot!" The boy grinned, painfully and slowly, but still grinned.

"Aww, you were worried?" Kurama scoffed, a light blush rising to his cheeks.

"Of course not. Why would I worry about a suicidal brat as you?"

"Coz you _love_ me!" Kurama blushed harder, before he swiftly turned.

"Get going idiot." The boy stretched his limbs, noticing that his shirt was dirtied with blood. He sighed, for this was one of his favorite shirts. He bounced over to the fox, with a smile plastered over his tanned, whiskered face.

"Where now?" He asked good-naturedly.

"Wherever our feet wears us."

They both turned around, glancing at the house one more time, before disappearing in a red and yellow flash. Leaving the small town of the Spring country behind them, ready to venture on another adventure.

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><p><strong>AN : ****Just so we're clear, Naruto, for it was painfully obviously him, _did_ die. So, this is a prequel to my newest story, though I should be focusing on the old ones, but I'm whelmed with ideas for new ones, so yeah... I'm just so damn whelmed. ... Don't forget to review, and ask away! I'll be sure to answer in a nick! **


	2. Chapter I

**Disclaimer: Again, NO!**

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><p>"<em>Attention to all passengers Train from Suna will arrive shortly at… <em>"

"Hmm, Suna? I visited the place once."

"Do enlighten us with your words of wisdom, _oh great one_."

"Ha ha, well it was nothing special. Too much sand and too hot. Didn't have the time to acquaint myself with it…"

"Let me guess: drunkard?"

"Actually it was a druggie, but basically the same, yeah."

"_Charming_, I bet."

"Kyuubi-san?"

The young teen with blonde, disheveled hair turned around, looking around for the owner of the voice. Seeing the Madame from earlier, he grinned.

"Ah, Madame Miroku**[****1]**, you managed to find us?" He asked, petting affectionally the fox on his shoulder.

Madame Miroku gave a soft smile; the duo has they acted as her guide through the Yū**[****2]**. Ten days ago, when she arrived to the center of the Hot Springs Country, she was met firsthand with the local tugs. It was the first moment in her life that she regretted being rich; only for a short while, but she did regret it.

The whiskered teen, which she first thought was a hobo, came to her rescue. She mussed the words in her head, it was so corny and not her at all, but she didn't know any other word for it. For the boy with the sky eyes jumped the tugs, and with the help of a scarlet furred fox, made them run. Without her belongings.

Instantly, Miroku wanted to repay him; she was never the one for making debts. However, the teen refused any kind of material goods, saying that helping people should not be a job, but a necessity.

She was instantly hooked; the boy was such a kind, selfless and cute specie. Not that she was into young boys; she had a daughter his age. Instead of giving him money, she asked of him to show her the beauties of Yū. The blonde instantly agreed and that is where their wonderful acquaintanceship began; he introduced himself as Kyuubi, telling her a weird story of how his parents were a mythological fanatics.

She never found out that much about him, all she knew could be put in one sentence; he was sixteen, had a pet fox named Ku, loved ramen and helping people. But, even if she knew so little, she deemed him unique and good, thus making her believe he was better than most of people today. Way better than her husband, Mōryō**[3]** who only focused on his work.

Alas, everything has its end, and so has her trip. She was scheduled to return to Oni**[4]** today and there was no going around it; her daughter and work demanded her attention. Miroku was truly sad, who knows when again will she meet Kyuubi and Ku. The unusual duo has gained a soft spot in her heart; Kyuubi with his cheery smile and Ku with his grumpy attitude.

Currently, they were standing at the train station, where she would board her train to her home town, and the duo found it required to see her off.

Waving her head, she focused on answering his question.

"Ah yes, I was afraid I lost you for a minute; though I easily oriented myself when I heard your loud voice." It looked like Ku was grinning, but one could never be too sure with foxes. Kyuubi pouted, adorably if she may add, before breaking into a full out smile.

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment!"

"_Attention to all passengers. Train to Konoha will depart in ten minutes. I repeat…_"

"I guess that's your ride, Madame Miroku." She chuckled, before giving the boy a kiss upon his cheek.

"Goodbye Kyuubi-san. May you have a good life." He blushed furiously, obviously not used to this kind of things.

"A-aa yes, goodbye Madame Miroku. Say 'hello' to your daughter!"

The duo stood there, watching her leave with her big luggage, her reddish hair waving behind her like a halo. Only when the train left the station did he move, this time towards the exit.

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><p>Kurama was intently watching his partner, Naruto. Together, they were passing through the mass of people on the streets, going nowhere in particular. The fox knew the wealthy lady reminded Naruto of his own mother, both in appearance and manners, but even with his thousand years old brain, he was wordless. He let Naruto dive into his own memories, knowing well that the boy needed it. For too many years there were only two of them, wanderers from one place to another. He knew it from experience that humans needed that kind of ties, as not to go crazy and Naruto's most important ones was with his mother.<p>

Two hours later Kurama sent his reason to hell, he just couldn't let his idiot wallow in misery anymore! He was getting bored, with all this walking and sulking.

"Brat, snap out of it." Naruto's head jerked and his eyes met Kurama's. He gave him a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, which pissed the fox off.

"Ah, sorry Ku. I was just…"

"I know kit, I know." They both fell in silence, before Naruto interrupted it with his cheerful yell.

"So, what do you wanna do now? We have some of the money Madame Miroku left us." At the exact same moment, both of their stomach decided to voice their opinions. Kurama blushed, while Naruto rubbed his head nervously.

"Ahhaa, I guess it's off to Tori's!" Kurama couldn't agree more.

It took them half an hour to locate the noodles stand, and another five minutes to get their food. The owner, Yakubi-san, knew the two quite well; he never said anything against Kurama eating the food on the stand. This suited the fox well, for he was so not made to eat off the floor.

"See you later, old man!" Yakubi-san gave them a smile, not missing the huge tip they left.

"Thank you Kyuubi, and come again!"

"Oh I will!" Kurama whispered. Even if he never admitted it, he was a ramen lover just as big as Naruto was. For that, he blamed the boy.

And they there were, happily and with full stomachs walking back to a little apartment they called home; Kurama grumbling about Naruto, and Naruto whistling an unknown tune. They were beginning to enter a shady looking neighborhood, with lots of tugs and wannabe criminals lurking from every corner. All would be fine if not for a heavily make-up woman that was currently slapped by a fat scum; a prostitute and her pimp most likely. Kurama turned a blind eye; he had enough of that for this week, thank you very much. Unfortunately for him, Naruto _never_ turned a blind eye for things like this. Before he knew it, his kit was rushing into the alley, kicking the pimp right on his shoulder. The woman's brown eyes widened, locking onto the teen behind them. She gave him a thankful smile, before taking off with full speed. Kurama jumped off Naruto's shoulder, already knowing how this will end; the kit hated fighting, so he will just finish this with his death. Die-erase-run plan, like always.

The man turned around, his face red from anger.

"You little faggot!" There were more insults coming from his big, fat lips, but Kurama paid no attention. He was focused on Naruto, who was seething with anger. But before his charge could do anything to release it, he was thrown at the wall, the man all the while hitting his stomach.

Naruto's eyes bulged from pain. Sure, he knew this would happen, but that didn't make it any less painful. He coughed blood, silently praying that he would be finished soon; an alley like this wasn't the perfect stage for healing.

"Ack!" He cried, feeling his head hit the wall. Not much after did the man find a bar and proceeded with hitting him full on. There was a crack heard before Naruto was thrown into darkness.

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><p>Jiraya Sannin, a self-proclaimed super pervert, was strolling down the grimy streets of Yū; he was, like always, searching for a little lady that would help him with his research for his newest book.<p>

He was having the time off his life, checking out the barely dressed girls around him; the only thing stopping his from an extreme blood loss was his experience in this field.

Out of nowhere, one of the ladies of the night ran into him, sobbing.

"Please help.. Please!" Jiraya sobered up; having a feeling she did not want his help with her panties.

"Calm down child, and tell me what's wrong." She shakily waved her hand at the alley entrance behind her.

"He, my boss… He was beating me and… that boy, Kyuubi, you know…" No, he didn't, but he complied and nodded. "He stepped in and help-ped me… He… He…" Jiraya could pretty much end that statement; the boy jumped in to help and was probably half way to Heaven by now.

Without a moment's notice he ran into the alley. There, he was welcome by a gruesome sight of a teenager, laying in the pool of blood (his own) with the right side of his head smashed to pieces. The man, preferably the boss, was standing there, with a little red animal wrapped around his head. Jiraya neared the boy, checking his pulse. Sigh. He was dead; there was nothing Jiraya could do to help him. Turning around to give a man a piece of his mind, he was stopped with a whimper.

Wait, what? His black eyes quickly found the boy again, who was now shivering while the pieces and cells of his brain were healing; the flesh around the hole was closing and in a time interval of ten seconds it looked brand new. Jiraya's eyes were the size of melons. Could he… ?

He took in the boy's blonde, now smeared with blood, hair his tan complexion, the nose, the jaw… When the teen opened his eyes, Jiraya was set aback. They were clear like the sky, shining brightly. Everything on this boy screamed alive, and what was more important, Namikaze.

More than that, his face construction and eye shape was all familiar. Not to mention his healing ability. Jiraya knew of only one person able to come back from the dead, and it was his student's girlfriend, Uzumaki Kushina.

OK, so he didn't know her that well, the girl ran away from Konoha seventeen years ago… Jiraya once again eyed the kid; he seemed like he was fifteen year old, maybe older. He felt the goose bumps on his skin; was this the reason Kushina ran? Was she pregnant with Minato's kid?

Jiraya didn't have the time to think about it now. The boy's eyes found Jiraya's, and from the guilty look in them, it was clear he was thinking along the lines of 'Oops'.

"You got some explaining to do, kid."

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><p><strong>[1] <strong>Miroku – Mother of High Priestess Shion, from the Demon Country; first and only appearance in Naruto: Shippūden the Movie;

**[2] **Yū – Yugakure no Sato, hidden shinobi village in the Hot Springs Country; home village of Hidan;

**[3]** Mōryō – dark demon created from the hate of humans; first and only appearance in Naruto: Shippūden the Movie;

**[4]** Oni – Oni no Kuni, Land of Demons; home country of Shion and Miroku;

**A/N : Hope's this will make it easier to understand. And to _sugardash_, arigatō for being this story's first reviewer, and for your kind words. Signing off, enRei.**


	3. Chapter II

**Disclaimer: Not owning anything related to Naruto.**

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><p>"It isn't much, but we call it home!" Naruto said nervously, rubbing the back of his head. That didn't miss Jiraya's keen eyes and he was once more reminded of a fiery lady that haunted his brightest student. Jiraya checked the blonde again; even though he was a carbon copy of Minato, the boy was a true Uzumaki.<p>

Eying the small, run-down apartment, Jiraya had to admit this was no environment a child should grow up in. Then again, who was he to dictate boy's life? Naruto neared him, giving him a glass of sake. He chuckled at Jiraya's raised eyebrow.

"It looks like you needed it." Jiraya grinned; it was like the boy was reading his mind.

"Good grief, you're a mind reader too?" Naruto's eyes lit up; this was a first time he met anyone that didn't freak out when his ability showed up.

"Nope. But he is." He said, pointing at the red fox, curled around his neck. The fox lift his eye lid, giving Jiraya a stern look, before dozing off again. It was nice not having to erase someone's memories for once. Jiraya stared at the fox for a while; if he had any thoughts about a fox with powers, he didn't voice it.

"So, what do you wanna know?" Naruto threw himself at the couch in front of his guest, grinding his palms.

"It's not what I want to know, brat. It's about what I have to tell you." This time, the fox really did open his eyes, fully awake. Naruto tilted his head, confused.

"Yeah?" Jiraya lowered his glass, before taking a breath in.

"I believe I knew your parents." Blue eyes widened comically.

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><p>Kurama was keeping an eye on the white haired man; who knew what he could do to Naruto? The fox never trusted anybody, except his life-long partner, and frankly, he never wanted to. One idiot was enough for him for all of the time. The fox quickly settled himself in Naruto's lap, never breaking an eye contact with the man who introduced himself as Jiraya Sannin.<p>

Naruto was still bewildered with everything that happened this past week. Jiraya, he said was his name, told him some pretty bizarre news. Well, not that bizarre, considering Naruto himself was anomaly. When he said he knew his parents, Naruto's first though was 'She's alive!'. His mother, his kind, beautiful, wonderful mother was alive! Then, his hope was shattered, for he remembered that there was no way that was possible. The kindred spirit was dead, and has been such for ten years.

Then, his thoughts wandered: he said parents. As in plural. That meant he had a father. OK, of course he had a father, but… He never bothered to think about it. It has always been his mother, Kurama and he; there was never a father figure in his life.

Even when his mother went away, it never crossed his mind to search for the said father; and somehow, he always knew what Jiraya said next. He, like mother, was dead. There was a spark of sorrow inside of Naruto, but he paid it no mind. He would have time to grief later, now he should focus on Jiraya's story.

It was certainly the peak of his day when a grumble of earth appeared in old man's hands, doing some weird acrobatics. His first reaction was to freak out, of course, but then the child in him that never grew up kicked in. When he calmed down, Jiraya started explaining that there were others like him, hundreds and counting, and that the young ones were though how to control their powers in special schools.

They even had a name for those with powers: _Amalech_**[1]**. Get this; apparently this _race_ dated back from ancient times, therefore the Latin name. There were humans, with powers alike his, all over the world! Naruto couldn't stop the warm feeling spreading throughout him and he didn't want to.

The school from which Jiraya came was the same one his parents went to: Hi no Kōkō**[2]**, ruled by Jiraya's friend, Tsunade.

Naruto has heard of Tsunade, she was one of the greatest medics in the world, there was no illness or wound she couldn't heal. Che, should've figured it out it had something to do with supernatural.

Anyways, Jiraya stated that Naruto himself should go there; his healing ability surpassed Tsunade's, and if trained properly, he could expand it towards others. Naruto could just imagine, instead of dying every time he wanted to save anyone, he could also heal old and sick people!

Kurama was against it, of course, but after a week of persuading, he complied. After Naruto promised him that, if it doesn't work out, they'll run. And Kurama knew it wouldn't work out; the first moment Naruto gets bored, he'll seek other adventure. Another reason why Naruto agreed was his mother; Kushina has always talked softly about Konoha, and Naruto always wanted to see the wonderful village by himself. Maybe, in there, he could find something, _anything_, left by her.

So that was the reason the duo found themselves in the back seat of a car, being driven towards Hi no Kōkō. Naruto wasn't that much eager to star school; he tried it once, but a mutual dislike between them never let them become anything more.

They stopped in front of a large, white building; Naruto couldn't help but gape at the size of it. There were a bunch of kids, teens mostly, walking through the parking lot, chatting amusedly between themselves, some dancing but most of them were playing with their powers. _In the open_!

"There is an invisible shield protecting us from being seen." Jiraya said, noticing the blonde's amazement. Naruto nodded, before turning to watch a brown haired girl make an ice angel. OUT OF NOWHERE!

"This school… ROCKS!" Jiraya chuckled. Oh yes, an Uzumaki indeed.

It took them ten minutes to locate the principal office and then be met with an empty desk. Jiraya muttered something like 'Going off to drink again, eh?'. Thankfully, her assistant, Shizune-san, was helpful enough to register Naruto. She gaped at him when his real name was mentioned, but other than that, nothing.

"Uchiha-kun should be here soon, he will show you where your classes are."

Kurama decided it was the time to announce himself, so he jumped on Naruto's shoulder. Shizune eeped, looking at him wide eyed.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, pets aren't…" Kurama growled.

"I am no pet, puny human." Shizune was even more distressed now.

"Wha.. How…" Naruto grinned, petting Kurama's fur affectionately.

"This is Kurama, my friend."

"Familiar, if you would like." added the fox. Jiraya seemed intrigued by this.

"A fox affinity, eh?" Neither Naruto nor Kurama deemed it worthy to answer that. Let the man think what he wants.

There was a knock, and after Shizune murmured 'enter', the door opened. In went a teen, maybe a year older than Naruto, pale skinned, dressed in a black uniform. He had black hair, with a tint of blue in it, with fringes around his heart-shaped face, and the back of it styled like… duck-butt? Naruto tried hard not to giggle, but was unsuccessful. The raven glared at him, seeming to know what the blonde found so interesting. His eyes were obsidian black and there seemed to be a permanent frown on his face.

"You called, Shizune-san?" Shizune bounced back easily, a soft smile creeping up on her lips.

"Ah, yes. Uchiha-kun this is Uzumaki Naruto. He will be attending our school from now on." Naruto waved at him.

"Hi!"

"Naruto-kun, this is Uchiha Sasuke, the number one student in your year." Kurama yawned.

"Can we get this show going? I'm hungry." Uchiha glanced at the fox, like he just then noticed it. Naruto looked at Jiraya questionably.

"I gotta go find that troublesome woman. I'll show you to your apartment after school." He nodded and turned to Uchiha.

"So, what classes do I have next?"

Uchiha was exiting the office so Naruto quickly followed him. He didn't seem to pay attention to Naruto, so their walk was quiet and tense. At least from Naruto's point of view. While his guide was busy with scowling at the passing students, Naruto was taking every single detail of it in. He snapped out of it when he found himself in a classroom, in front of twenty curious eyes. One of them being the teacher's.

Naruto's eyes widened, recognizing him. It was Umino Iruka, his caretaker from back when he was ten. Back then, he still didn't know Kurama, so there was nobody to erase Iruka's memories when Naruto died.

The brunette stood there, gaping like a fish at him, his brown eyes filled with disbelief. Uchiha noticed this, and curiously stared at Naruto.

"Ehe… Hi Iruka-sensei." The brunette shivered.

"Naruto? But how… You… What are you doing here?" Naruto rubbed his head, grinning shyly.

"You know, that's a quite interesting story..."

"Naru-chan?"

He turned around swiftly and met the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen. There, by the door, stood a pinkette, her looks rivaling Iruka's. One word went through Naruto's head.

_Sakura-chan_.

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><p><strong>AN : Looking for beta; if anyone wants to take up the job, be a dear and PM me!**

**[1] ****Amalech – Literal translation from Latin is **_**wielder;**_

**[2] Hi no K****ōkō - ****Literal translation from Japanese is **_**High school of Flame**_**;**


	4. Chapter III

**Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto **_**still**_** won't hand Naruto over.**

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><p>"How? How is it possible…?" Sakura gushed, trying to chase away the tears that started gathering in her eyes. The whole class was now looking at them; this was the most fun they had in ages.<p>

Naruto was feeling like a stand-up comedian; he was sweating (and doing it royally), there was lump in his throat and Kurama was so not helping, pretending to be asleep. He could feel everybody's eyes on him, come curious, some incredulous and some pissed; the last coming from the pink haired girl. Uchiha decided to chime in:

"Uzumaki has been enrolled this morning. Have you met him already, Sakura?" The girl's glowing eyes sparked; Naruto shivered, for he still remembered her mighty fist.

"_Uzumaki?_ Your name is Uzumaki?" Naruto tried to chuckle, but it turned out like a whimper.

"Haha, yeah… You know, that too is an interesting story…" Sakura was now gripping her bag, probably trying to calm herself, before she mauled the blonde.

"Start explaining. _Now_." Iruka coughed; his state of mind just a little bit calmer than Sakura's. Naruto was starting to sweat really bad now. Was it hot, or that was just him?

"Get to your seats, the class already started." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. Sakura pouted, unsatisfied with that.

"But, after school…" Iruka added, sending a look Naruto's way. The whiskered teen shivered, knowing just what that meant. He gulped and nodded.

* * *

><p>He was cornered pretty soon after he exited his last class for that day; both Sakura and Iruka were standing in front of the door, glaring at him. Kurama sighed, mentally asking his partner should he just erase their memories and be done with it.<p>

_They deserve to know, Ku._

**They don't deserve anything. They've let you die.**

_Sakura-chan was a kid then and Iruka… well, it's not like he could've save me._

Kurama grumbled something under his breath before jumping on the floor, stretching his legs. Just in case Naruto needed some of his help.

"This way, please." Iruka voiced, beckoning them to enter an empty room. Sakura was casting glances at Naruto, probably expecting him to run away or disappear. Or drop dead, Naruto thought. When three of them were seated; Iruka at the teacher's desk and Sakura and him in front, Naruto coughed, deciding it was best to start from the beginning.

"When I was six years old, my mother, with whom I grew up, died. Don't ask me how, I really don't know." Naruto added, cutting anything the two had to say. "Anyways, I knew the authorities would come for me soon, and I really didn't want to rot in some orphanage." The sadness that grew in Sakura's green eyes was evident, but Naruto didn't want her to pity him. "Not because I was afraid of it, it's just… on my fifth birthday, a car hit me." Iruka opened his mouth, probably to say something, words of encouragement; Naruto, however continued. "My mother never let me go to the hospital; she carried me herself from the place of accident to our home. And that was the first time I became aware of my powers."

"Your powers?" Sakura chimed in. "So you're Amalech?" Naruto smiled softly.

"What else would I be, if I'm here?" Naruto rolled his eyes, while Sakura had the decency to blush. "You see, my mother, she was one too. Until recently, I never knew there was anyone like us, so I was afraid if people found out about it, they will imprison me."

Iruka was feeling overwhelmed with sadness; he could've guess what kind of panic erupted in Naruto the moment his mother died. A young boy, left alone… Iruka could see a lot of himself into the young blonde.

"Basically, my power… It allows me to heal myself." Naruto could see the cogs turning inside his pink haired friend; she was always too smart for her sake. There was a frown on her face, a confused one; the other male in the room was silent, feeling they were nearing the right answer.

"But it's impossible to rise from the dead, Naruto. And I saw your body, there was no way you were alive…"

"You're right. I did die. Couple of hundred times, to be exact." Both of their eyes widened, drinking in the information. Naruto turned to the teacher with a small smile in his azure orbs. "What do you know of the Uzumaki clan, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka paled, connecting the dots just now. Of course! The whisker marks, the fox affinity… How didn't he notice this sooner? If he remembered correctly, they were always two or three vixens following the pre-teen Naruto was, back when Iruka met him.

"Oh God…" Sakura's lips turned downwards, she was clearly dissatisfied with their inaudible conversation.

"What?"

The brunette turned to his student, eyes still glazed over:

"The Uzumaki clan is an old clan from the Whirlpool country. Probably as old as the Senju clan." Sakura, whose mother was the descendant of the former, perked up at this. "It's not much known about it, because in the Third Amalech War, their home village was destroyed and wiped out. There were rumors that some survived, but I don't…"

"My mother." The blonde said slowly. "She escaped the village days before the attack." Iruka nodded.

"I see."

"What about the clan?" asked the pinkette.

"Well, they were Amalechs, just like we are. Most of the clan had two powers, some more. But there's one thing they all had in common."

"Which is…?"

"Our longevity." Naruto added, petting Kurama who got bored of walking and was now napping in his lap. "In short, our inability to die."

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><p>Kurama and Naruto were waiting patiently for Jiraya to get them; the teen was sitting on the highest step of the stairs in front of the school. He was watching gleefully as the fox chased around some sparrows, and he was doing it lazily.<p>

A bulky, white haired man was making his way across the yard, a sullen look gracing his features. Naruto frowned slightly; this didn't look good.

"Oi, ero-jiji**[1]**!" Naruto chuckled, seeing that _this_ kind of talk got a reaction out of him.

"Oi, brat! Stop calling me that!" The teen's golden eyebrow rose skeptically.

"You do realize _where_ exactly we met?" A dreamy look entered Jiraya's orbs, and Naruto could swear there was a drool coming out of his mouth.

"Ah, all those lovely little flowers…"

The light haired youth rolled his eyes, before jumping up on his legs. He threw a side-away glance at his partner; che, the old coon chased away them all.

"Anyways, the dorm you were supposed to live in is under construction. Don't ask." He quickly added, wincing a little as he said it. "So, for the time being, we decided to put you up with some of our staff."

The youngster perked up; was he going to live with Iruka again? Oh please let it be him, let it…

"Naruto, meet Uchiha Itachi, your new guardian." There was no sound at all, nothing to warn the youth of another person's presence; but there he was, a black haired man, seven, maybe eight, years older than himself. He had a small, dare he think it, wicked look in his unnaturally red eyes; wearing a black ('**Armani**' Kurama added) suit, looking hellishly handsome and proud.

"Hello, Naruto-kun."

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><p>'It isn't that bad' Naruto mussed approvingly; Itachi turned out to be a nice guy. Firstly, he treated him to ramen ('This is the best damn ramen I've ever tasted! How'd you do it?'), which is the biggest plus anyone could get in Naruto's book. Secondly, he lived in enormous house, a mansion, in which he kindly presented the biggest room the golden youth has seen in all his life! The chamber had everything! From a wide screen TV, to Xbox, moving onto the stereo, computer, king-sized bed, fluffy cushions and enough space for a small football team to fit it! Naruto started crying tears of joy, unable to restrain himself from jumping his caretaker. The pony-tailed brunette just smiled gently, before patting his head. He told him there were some clothes he could use, but that they should take tomorrow afternoon off and buy some new ones. Naruto jumped him again when he saw a mini-bar; filled with tons and tons of cup-ramen. The thought of how the heck did he <em>know<em> all this about him never crossed his mind; Itachi was a saint, a super hero in his eyes.

Kurama had to admit that the kid, Itachi, was… _Nice_. He prepared the most generous welcome for his partner. When he saw a miniature castle-like house for himself in the room, he begrudgingly gave his approval. Maybe, just maybe, they will stay a little bit longer. With that in mind, he trotted into his house and fell asleep on top of the mattress.

Just before the older man left the two to their sanctuary, he smiled softly and said with that velvety voice of his:

"It would be fair to warn you about the ghosts." At blonde's panicky face, he caressed the soft hair. "Don't worry, they are all domesticated."

That was all it took for Naruto to believe him; call him a fool, but if his savior said so, it was so.

After a long, relaxing bath for the both of them, they started wandering around the house. Well, Kurama went outdoors, his fox nature kicking in.

Naruto watched everything around him with shinning eyes, admiring the elegance and glamour this mansion seemed to be full off.

"What are you doing here?" A harsh, icy voice interrupted the teen in his fretting over the spacious bathroom he found. Naruto turned immediately, coming across the duck-haired bastard, mostly known as Uchiha Sasuke. Only then did he connect the dots; Itachi did seem a little bit familiar.

Sasuke was staring him down with a glare, the Uchiha kind, waiting for an explanation. Taking in his appearance and a uniform, it was hard not to tell he just came from school.

The blonde grinned foxily, seeing the other's discomfort.

"Oh, hiya there Uchiha-san!" The raven scowled, but Naruto paid it no mind. He figured the other was a cold hearted, I'm-too-good-for-you-to-even-look-at-me, way-better-than-you type. And there was two ways only to deal with that kind. Either annoy the shit out of them, or bow down. Naruto decided to go somewhere in between. Well, at least until the kid gives him something to work with.

"Ah Sasuke, you've found Naruto-kun." Itachi waltzed in like it was perfectly normal to chit-chat in the bathroom. The younger Uchiha turned the frown towards the newcomer.

"What's he doing here, Aniki**[2]**?" Brothers? That seemed interesting. From his experience, the whiskered teen knew that kind of blood relationship always had some kind of rivalry going on. He grinned mischievously, this ought to be good! He was so glad he came with Jiraya now.

Itachi smirked, giving his younger brother an I'm-sexy-and-you-know-it look.

"Naruto-kun here has been put under my guardianship for the rest of his stay." Sasuke gave him a bewildered look. There seemed to be a silent, glare-only conversation between the two, before Itachi smirked again (*fangirl squeal*).

"Hn."

"Good to know." With that, Itachi addressed the youngest party.

"Come, Naruto-kun, mother wishes to meet you." Naruto bounced over to him, giving his guardian the brightest smile he could gather.

"Lead the way, Itachi-san!" Sasuke's eyes were wide open, before he scurried away after the two.

"Aniki, you can't possibly…"

"Ah, Naruto-kun. So nice of you to drop by."

There, on the living room sofa sat a female carbon-copy of Sasuke; smiling gently at them, beckoning them over with a pale, see-through hand. Naruto's eyes went wide for a second, before he let out a yell.

"Mikoto-sama!" Itachi smirked, watching the little blonde hurrying over to the female, while Sasuke stood with wondrous look.

Uchiha Mikoto smiled kindly at the child, seeing he was still bouncy and lively as ever.

"It is wonderful to see you again, Naruto-kun, though I never expected for you to come here." Naruto grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, well… I've been found out and dragged here to study." Mikoto tapped the space next to her.

"Do sit and tell me what adventures you have come over." Naruto did so, but instead of anwering her question, he asked some of his own.

"Never mind that, Mikoto-sama! What happened to you? The last time I saw Fugaku-teme and you, you were healthy and… alive!" A shadow passed over her face for a second, before she chuckled. Sasuke almost chocked on his spit; hearing the new kid calling his father names was not something he was used to. Then again, how the heck did _he_ know his parents?

"You never change, do you?" The blonde tapped his head.

"Nope! Still bubbly and idiotic as ever!" Mikoto sighed.

"I hope you could forgive me, Naruto-kun, for I cannot tell you the reason of my impasse." Just then, Itachi decided to voice himself.

"It is a curse, Naruto-kun. The dead cannot talk about their death." Naruto nodded, comprehending the situation. He came across a few curses along his journey. Most of them were directed at him, mind you.

"Where is Kushina-chan? Knowing her, she would not let you come here alone."

Naruto paled; he was remembering his mother again. Sasuke's keen eyes noticed the change in his behavior; his spirits seemed to drop, and his eyes held such sadness that he himself saw every time he looked into the mirror. Something in his chest tightened, though he didn't know what or why.

"Ummm…. She died." Mikoto's facial lines hardned, and her posture froze for a second. She was no longer smiling.

"Died? I thought…"

"I did too." Naruto added grimly; he rapidly got up, bowed down to her and smiled. Sasuke could easily see that the smile he wore was hard and amiss. Why did that idiot fake his emotions? And why the fuck did he care?

"Excuse me, Mikoto-san. I need to get me beauty sleep now." Not waiting for an answer, he highlighted out of there.

All was silent. Mikoto tried hard not to show her sadness, though both of her sons could see easily through her mask. The thing that broke the awkward moment between them was a scarlet-furred fox, glaring ice daggers at the raven haired woman.

"You just couldn't keep your darn trap shut, could you?"

Kurama 'humped' and raced out, running towards his partners scent. The kit was in need now, the kind only Kurama could offer.

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><p><strong>AN: Pardon my late update. I had some really good reasons for abandoning all of you, trust me. So, some of you may be confused by Naruto knowing Mikoto and Fugaku – remember, Kushina and Mikoto were friends in canon. And even though this is AU, I'll be sticking to some of the canon facts.**

**[1] Ero-jiji – Perverted old man/grandpa**

**[2] Aniki – Older brother**


	5. Interlude I

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this lap-top and my mobile phone. And a Hachibi strap on it.**

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><p>The night was dark; there was barely any light down the foot-made road leading into the dense forest. Bushy trees were looming over the green floor dangerously, a barely audible wind blowing their leaves around. The only light that ever graced the dirty and rocky road was moonlight; weak and unhelpful for anyone but the forest's inhabitants.<p>

The before mentioned inhabitants weren't anything human like; if anything, they would best described as animals. But, the humans knew better than that, they knew what they were really. Some called them demons, monsters that haunted little children at night, taking their innocence away; other claimed they were deities, disguised as small fury animals, to guard over the humanity and lead them to the light. Both explanations could be used to describe them, for they were something more than the rest, whether purer or bad was not known.

There was only one man who ever came close to finding the truth behind their existence and identity. Okay, it was a woman actually, but stories somehow sound better in the people's eyes if it's a man involved.

This woman was not that well-known, she was constantly hidden in the shadows of her father, brothers and later, her husband's. She was not exceptionally beautiful; she had the long hair the color of rust, dark, almost purple ringed eyes and averagely curved body. If it wasn't for her prestigious family and marrying for the most powerful man in Japan, she was sure to remain unknown; to humans, at least.

The _inhabitants_ were drawn to her like little children to their mother… Or a new toy, it was uncertain why they loved spending their times with her, playing around and listening to her stories. Some would claim she was a charmer, always knowing what to say at the right moment, and what not. Also, she seemed to be painfully blunt; a trait she passed down to her descendants.

After spending most of her childhood, and her maturity with _them_, getting to know them better and listening to their life stories, she concluded what they really were. Unfortunately, she never shared that bit of information with others, for she swore to stay loyal to them. Not even after being interrogated by her family and in-laws did she wield under the pressure; she kept their secrets even in her grave, which found her quickly after the war her kind started.

The creatures were devastated by such thing; quickly as they got her, they lost their precious friend. Saddened and angered by the situation, they parted their ways and went into the world. Before her death, she has given them the word that someday, a person who will see their greatness like she did will appear. The one who will fully save them from the darkness they were enveloped in.

All but one left, promising to return when they've found that person. Unluckily for readers, this story is not about the ones who left, but about the one who remained in the darkness of the forest, sulking about his lost friend.

He was what you would call a fox; scarlet furred, blood eyed fox with nine large and fluffy tails. Over the decades, he learned to control his powers, and was usually seen by humans as a normal fox, when he dared venture into towns and villages. He was, as said, one of the _inhabitants_ of the forest, and the most powerful of them all. Also, he was the crankiest of them. When left alone, humans had started hunting him, in fear of what he would do to them if left in peace. For that, he hated them.

So, after spending many years in solitude, imagine his surprise when a foolish mortal kit lost himself in his home.

The fox bared its teeth at the kid in front of him, feeling threatened. That day wasn't one of his best ones; he was hunted and almost killed by the stupid villagers. Almost losing to them made him beyond angry and irrational, so without waiting for the kid to explain himself, he dived right for his throat.

After he thought back, the kid barely struggled; there was no yelling, tugging or any form of defending involved. The human kit let the fox kill him. He let the fox empty his anger on him, never even voicing his protest; which intrigued the fox greatly.

Satisfied with his work the fox turned around, ready to leave a bloody body behind him without regrets. And he would've done it, quite peacefully so, if it wasn't for a husky and rough voice that spoke to him:

"Have you calmed down yet?" Bewildered and freaked out beyond recognition, the fox whipped his head around to stare at the dead body. Which wasn't that much dead; in fact, the body was moving, its hands holding the tanned throat, his azure eyes blinking rapidly. It seemed like he has just woken up from a dream- a regular one, not death induced one.

The fox bristled, feeling his fur sticking out in nervousness; how the hell was he alive? He was dead, _terminated_, sent on a voyage without a return ticket! It was a hallucination, fox mussed, yes that must be it. There was no way one could simply raise from the dead. That was ridiculous!

The kid cracked his neck and a soft crack could be heard in the silence of the poorly illuminated night.

"There was no reason to attack me, Mister; I was just searching for a way out of this forest." The boy grumbled softly. Then, he turned to the red fox, smiling slightly. "Though, I was glad I could help with your frustration!"

The boy was… an idiot, fox concluded. Yes, a real dense and moronic idiot. Who in the nine hells said that to his murdered. Though, for the sake of his right mind, the fox decided to pretend this was still hallucination. The boy got up and dusted himself off, before he turned his sparkling eyes to the only creature beside him.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm not dead." The kid said with a light chuckle following the end of his sentence. The fox decided to break his vow of silence, if only to satisfy his curiosity.

"Do enlighten me, human." The kid's eyes gleamed with interest, before he giggled.

"Oh, you can talk? That's something books don't teach you…" The fox growled.

"Of course I can talk. I'm not some stupid carnivore, unlike those foolish animals…" The young boy nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, I do remember hearing something about the _inhabitants_ of the forest; neither animals, nor humans, but something far greater."

"So? You feel like answering my question?" The child gave a foxily grin; and this description came from a fox, before he said:

"Well, mister Grumpy Hills," the fox barked at that "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I can't die." The fox narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean, you can't die?" Naruto shrugged.

"Ok, so I can die, but… Whenever I do, my body starts healing and brings me back to life." The fox, who had problems with accepting that, slouched down on the grass. "And after seeing it for yourself, you wouldn't be able to deny it." The kit was right; he saw with his own eyes how the kit woke up from death. "Mind telling me your name?" The fox looked up to the sparkly blue orbs, feeling himself being drawn in.

"My name?" He whispered, unsure how to respond. Nobody ever asked him for a name, not after _she_ died…

"Well, yeah. I mean, everyone has a name, right?" The blonde offered a dazzling smile. "It doesn't matter what you are; you're alive, you can talk and you have a conscience!" The fox's eyes widened, watching the tanned blonde in front of him. Those words, they were…

"Kurama." He said before he could stop his mouth. Naruto grinned, his eyes closing from the force of the smile. Kurama just then noticed the three whiskered marks on his face, which definitely weren't there when he killed him.

"Well Kurama, would you like to be my friend?" He asked, tilting his head on the side, his beautiful smile still in place.

Kurama pondered, thinking back at his brothers and sisters, who were out in the world, searching for the person _she_ promised will come. Looking back at those big eyes, radiating with happiness, he couldn't help but smirk at their stupidity. Here he was, all this time sulking alone in their home, without any wish to seek him. And the promised one came to him.

That day marked the beginning of an unusual bond between the misfit duo; a fox that was not a fox and a human that was not a human. Over the next course of years, the two would become closer and stronger, wrecking chaos wherever they went; Naruto seeking true happiness by helping others and Kurama right there with him, perched up on his shoulder, and occasionally on his head.

One day, their wanderings will lead them back to the Forest where they first met, along with Kurama's brothers and sisters; forever to spend their days playing in the Sun, enjoying the smooth baritone of their precious savior. But for now, Kurama was satisfied with only the two of them; call him possessive, but he wanted to enjoy his friend's presence alone as long as he could. It was enough he had to share him with humans, which his partner enjoyed greatly, he was not about to share Naruto's time with his kin.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the late update- it's getting difficult to write this many stories at the same time.**

**Anyways, this was an interlude on how Kurama and Naruto met; a bit short, but good nonetheless. Now, be kind and review. Ja ne!**


	6. Chapter IV

**Disclaimer: Not owning the bit of Naruto still…..**

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><p>And so, Naruto's days in Konoha began with a big bang. Starting from being a charge of one of the teachers (said to be <em>the <em>hottest), a long lost friend of a ghost (said to be _the_ kindest), live-in roommate of their prince (said to be _the _grumpiest) and an acquaintance of the legendary super pervert (said to be _the _kinkiest). Naturally, _that_ caught the attention of most of the student body- his peers in large numbers. Everybody wanted to know who Naruto Uzumaki was, how such luck bestowed him to know those people and what powers he held.

Many speculated it was the fox affinity- after all; a scarlet furred fox the size of a normal dog always followed him everywhere. The two were never apart, even in classes, toilets or cafeteria. However, the rest had a feeling that was not the case; the fox acted like a normal _human_ being. He talked, ate and thought like one; something none other animal could do. The problem or unnaturalness was because of fox, not the boy. Thus, they believed the young blonde's powers were something else. Something only small number of people in the faculty knew; two of them being Naruto's friends Iruka and Sakura, and others being Jiraya, the headmaster Tsunade and her assistant Shizune and quite probably Itachi. Not to mention Mikoto, the ghost.

Naruto never hurried to tell others about his amazingness; they will find about it eventually, right? If he told them right away that would mean letting others in his mind; which he didn't like at all. Only Kurama was granted such powers and not because of his psyche, but because he was the one Naruto trusted the most.

Naruto quickly found some friends there; first to introduce himself to Naruto was Kiba, a feral looking teen who had affinity with dogs- meaning he could talk to them and even turn himself into one. By his side stood a proud white dog, Akamaru, bigger than a human; Kiba told him he sometimes rode him. Naruto like Kiba; they both were prankers and jokers by nature. The brunette was one of those who believed the fox theory- to which his friend Shino, a bug affinitive raven disagreed. Not that he ever voiced his opinion; he was really silent type of person. Why he was friends with a loud mouth like Kiba will remain mystery to both Naruto and Kurama.

The duo met Shikamaru and Choji two weeks after they came to Konoha; Naruto was speeding towards the cafeteria, drooling at the thought of food that he neared, when he bumped into a big looking chicken. Which turned out to be Choji Akimichi, a size shifter, who was in the same state of mind as Naruto was. After, they made a deal for Naruto to buy all of the food and meet him by the stairs in the eleventh corridor. When they met up again Naruto was introduced to a sleepy Shikamaru, who was lazily playing with the shadows on the wall. That's when Naruto found out (though he had suspicions) that their Amalech powers were hereditary; the whole Nara family, just as Akimichi, Inuzuka and Aburame had the same powers as their youngsters. Kurama bonked him on his head, reminding him just _what_ powers his mother had. Not that it helped her in the end…

Sakura, who was more pity inclined to him than mad, followed him where ever she could. Mostly reminiscing about the old days (which unnerved Naruto a bit) and all in all, talking his head of (this pissed him off a bit more). A blonde beauty Ino, who was Sakura's frienemy, mostly joined them. Trying to get in his pants, but Naruto being who he was, gently and almost unnoticeably denied her affections.

This made Sauske jealous; how the heck he managed to get the girls off his back? Sasuke had to daily fight his way through the hordes of blood-sucking females, who wanted nothing but to jump the young raven. And there the idiot was, grinning and chuckling with them like it was the most normal thing in the world! The girls loved him, oh they did, but they never tortured him the way they did him! Adding this to the list of things pissed him off about Naruto, some being his closeness to Itachi and his ghost mother, it was no wonder Sasuke's eyes got more than once caught staring at the blonde. Never by the blonde, mind you, which only aggravated him more.

Chasing this kind of thoughts out of his head, he focused on the problem at hand; Sasuke had no qualms as to why the blonde newcomer was so popular. He was beautiful, even he admitted it, easy-going, friendly, bubbly, cheeky and most of all, mysterious. Not to mention the girls just swooned over the cuteness Kurama presented. When he wasn't cursing, glaring or being plain cranky. What troubled Sasuke wasn't how and why the blonde joined their group (all of his newly made friends were Sasuke's childhood ones), but why was he so damn interested in him?

Naruto was nobody close to his level and presented everything he despised. He was loud, bright and talkative and in normal circumstances, Uchiha would hate his guts. If Naruto wasn't so pretty and heart-warming. He sneaked a peak at the giggling blonde across of him; he _was_ cute, Sasuke mussed. His soft, disheveled hair just _screamed_ for him to touch it, brush his fingers in it… His electric eyes, plum lips, well-toned and curvy body practically begged Sasuke to jump him.

Blushing furiously at his thought, Sasuke glared at the plate in front of him. _Snap out of it, moron!_ _This is no time to think about the delicious blonde and get a boner! Oh God, not now…_

Suppressing his urges with a mental image of his parents going at it, he relaxed.

"Naruto, my youthful friend!" Sasuke's eardrums seriously started bleeding, at the sound of Rock Lee's enthusiastic voice. Naruto, who was talking to the shy and stuttering Hinata, turned to look at the green monster… errr, Lee.

"What's up, Lee?" He asked, casually. Lee sat down at their table, followed quickly by a brown haired girl, whose hair was tied up in two cute buns.

"TenTen and I have come to a great decision!" The girl sighed, sitting next to Ino and Sakura, who were listening to the conversation.

"We should all go out tonight, you know?" Sasuke could see where this was heading, as could Sakura whose face brightened up almost instantly.

"Oh, that's a great idea! Maybe we can show Konoha to Naruto a bit!" Ino was nodding concentrated on something in her head.

"A trip to the cinema and maybe some club should be enough for tonight…" Naruto, Sauske noted, like the idea very much.

"That's awesome! But…" Here, he frowned. "I'll have to check back with Itachi-kun about that." Sasuke scowled at that. There it was again, Itachi butting his way into Sasuke's business! And since when were the two of them so close?

Sakura seemed to notice both of theirs troubles.

"I'm sure he'll agree. If Sasuke comes, that is." She said and gave Sasuke a long, expectant look. Sasuke turned to Naruto, who was giving him a pleading, almost teary look. Not able to think rationally, he nodded. Naruto whooped.

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><p><strong>And why are we here?<strong>

_Come on Ku! It'll be fun!_

**Dancing around like idiots is your idea of fun, brat, not mine.**

_Shut up, you'll love it._

**I doubt it.**

Ignoring the sour look Kurama gave him, Naruto started pushing the people aside, heading to the table his friends reserved. After a nice discussion, they decided against the movies. According to Sasuke, there was no time to enjoy both in one night, so they decided against the cinema.

Itachi let them go easily, wishing them a good luck and giving his little brother a knowing look. Mikoto was all hearts and flowers, saying how glad she was her baby boy (to which Sasuke scowled) was finally leaving his emo phase behind him (to which he scowled again). Naruto, on the other side, had a hearty laugh with Kurama.

The two boys arrived at the club _Locco _right on time, and entered it without troubles. It seems like this was the place only Amalechs could enter; long before it was noted that when drunk, Amalech tended to show off a bit.

While Sasuke observed the Naruto's tight ass covered in leather pants, perhaps drooling a bit, Naruto was already greeting Sakura. They all were dressed in casual, if a bit provocative clothes (**a/n: so not gonna describe every single one of them**).

"You like it?" Kiba yelled over the music. Naruto nodded cheerily, his eyes drinking in every single detail of the club; there were people dancing, chatting… All in all, Naruto like the cozy atmosphere it provided- not too nosy or filled, but just right.

Sasuke smirked, seeing the star struck look Naruto had. Kurama scoffed, before vanishing in the maze of human legs.

**I'll check it out a bit.**

_OK!~ Take care!_

Sasuke was grinning inwardly, drinking in the fascinating smell of Naruto's. They were dancing on the podium, bodies pressed to each other. Naruto giggled, a bit tipsy, before throwing his arms over the raven's shoulders, bringing them closer. Thank God their friends couldn't see him, because Sasuke swore he could never survived if anybody heard his whimper when Naruto pressed harder, rocking them gently…

"_**SHUKAKU!**_" Music suddenly stopped, a body crashing into the DJ cabin. Confused folks started dancing and long forgotten light filled the room. Sasuke turned his head, blinking, towards the fox in the center of the room.

Kurama was bristling and growling at the tanuki with strange, purple marking across his body. The bigger than normal tanuki was doing the same, if not more aggressive. Naruto was curiously gazing at the fox, trying to comprehend the situation, but Kurama was not answering his mental plea.

Behind the tanuki stood a red headed teen, their age, impassively staring at the fox.

"**How dare you attack me?**" Kurama growled. The teen blinked, looking back at the tanuki, who barked with laughter.

"I'm just showing to these kind people who's better!" Kurama scoffed.

"**Obviously, it's me. I don't know why you're even trying.**" Naruto's eyes widened.

"Ku…"

"**And what's with the human? You dared give him the..**" The tanuki yawned.

"Oh puh-lease! Like you're the one to talk." Kurama turned to look at Naruto, smirking a bit where he returned his attention to the enemy at hand.

"**Unlike that puny mortal, **_**my**_** human is the real deal.**" Mortal? What did the fox think with that, Sasuke mussed. It seemed Naruto was confused as he was, but unlike him, he was wondering what did the 'real deal' mean. The tanuki growled threating him with barred teeth.

"Shut up, bastard! Gaara's the one!" Sasuke noted that half of the club's people were gone, leaving only their group and some spectators, who were gaping at the talking animals. Sasuke knew they found it strange, just as he did, but paid them no mind. It was obvious a fight will ensue, and nobody was doing anything to stop it, everybody too stunned for that.

"Enough." The red head said. "Kill it." The tanuki smirked, before leaping at the fox.

To Sasuke, it was clear Kurama was doing nothing to defend himself- but he was more worried about the shaking blonde in his arms.

"Stop it!" Naruto yelled, nearing the two fighting animals. His eyes pleading into the sea greens of the red head's, he begged. "Don't hurt him, please…" The teen looked at Naruto, before shrugging.

"He's an annoyance. Therefore, he shall die." Naruto's face started hardening, before a glare was thrown back at the red head.

"You…_**bastard!**_" A gush of wind entered the room, sweeping the tanuki and his owner off their feet. Sasuke's eyes widened; so his powers were actually controlling the air? He grinned, thinking how well it complimented him… Kurama stood up shakily, his wounds sealing up.

"What the… ?" Naruto stared back at his hands, then at the duo he knocked out with wind.

"What happened?" Sakura's and Sasuke's eyes narrowed; he didn't know what he did? Did that mean his power wasn't…

"You just summoned the powers of wind." Kurama answered, glaring at the now alert and standing duo. Naruto paled.

"But this was not supposed to happen! I control fire, not wind!" Sasuke's breath hitched. Naruto controlled fire? And the display in front of them just showed he clearly used wind… Did that mean he was multi-powered? He didn't know whether to be amazed or jealous.

"No, **I** control fire." Kurama said. "You can only do it because of me." That quite confused the public; talking fox that controlled fire? What the…

"Shukaku here is the bearer of the air." Again, Sasuke stood stupefied. Did Naruto just… borrow theirs powers? It seemed like Naruto was stupefied too. Kurama sighed. "It's a long story, kit. Shukaku, as the rest of my family, controls and element. You, as the descendant of…"

"No!" Shukaku, the tanuki, yelled. "How dare you steal my powers?" In the flash of light, he jumped the blonde, and in one move, sliced his throat open. Screams filled the air, as the bloody blonde slumped on the floor, obviously dead. Sasuke could feel his blood boiling, and unable to contain himself, immediately attacked the tanuki with a long string of fire. His friends weren't long behind him, everyone attacking the red head and tanuki with everything they got.

Ino quickly checked Naruto's pulse. From her sorrowful look, Sasuke concluded that the blonde was indeed dead. Kurama, who was fully healed by now, started bristling again.

"**GODDAMIT, NOT AGAIN!**" Sauske stopped dead in his tracks, thinking over what the fox exactly said, letting his friends battle with the wall of sand.

"What do you mean 'again'?" Sakura, unlike others, was frowning and softly nudging Naruto's body with her foot.

"Idiot." Sasuke's eyes narrowed; how dares she disrespect Naruto's body? She was supposed to be his friend! At his glare, she chuckled.

"Don't worry, Sasuke."

"Don't worry? Our friend just _died, _and you tell me not to _worry?_"

"I told you to kill the fox, not the blond." Said the red head, looking down at the body with a strange look in his eyes. Shukaku scoffed.

"He's an Uzumaki. He'll be fine." Ino, who was crying by then, started screaming.

"_Fine? He's dead, you killed him!_" Instead of attacking, a long string of curses filled the room, every one of the thrown at the stranger duo. Kurama sighed, waving his head. Shukaku chuckled.

"You lot really need to brush up your history." Shikamaru scowled, holding onto the shaking Ino.

"What do you mean by that?" Kurama and Shukaku shared a long look.

"How can you manage?"

"I dunno. Sometimes, I think I'm going crazy…"

"Humans are so damn annoying…"

"I should've never left the forest…"

"I hear you man." Stunned by their leisured conversation, nobody but Sakura noticed the blonde's wound healing.

"Would you two knock it off?" TenTen barked.

"He just killed Naruto and you…"

"That wasn't nice, you know." The blonde said, standing up. He cranked his neck, not noticing the disbelieving looks he was receiving.

"_WHAT THE HELL?_" Ino screamed.

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><p><strong>AN: What'd you think? Like it, hate it? Review and do tell.**


	7. Chapter V

**DISCLAIMER: Still not in the ownership part of the life…**

**A/N: To the ones who didn't catch my warning on the summary- YES, IT'S YAOI! Also, featuring AU and OOC.**

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><p>"<em>WHAT THE HELL?<em>" Ino screamed. Naruto tilted his head, confused. Then, his eyes widened.

"Oh shit! Kurama!" Out of reflex, maybe, Kurama jumped on the girl's face, ready to do his magic. Naruto, who was still on his die-erase-run system, positioned himself into a running stance. Which the group found odd, but was still shocked by what happened. Shukaku scoffed:

"Really? You're going to do them all?" Naruto turned to him, blinking rapidly.

"Eeeer… Right. I forgot I'm in Konoha now." Grinning nervously, he scratched the back of his head.

"Ku…" The fox seemed to remember it also, coz he left the girl's face quickly. Shikamaru, who was up until then trying to free the screaming girl, glared.

"You forgot? Why so?" Naruto, blushing slightly, played with his hands; his gaze locked on the floor.

"Umm, well… The people get confused when I die in front of them and…" Sasuke put the hand up.

"Wait. You mean, you died before?" Naruto was having a déjà vu, and Sakura seemed to notice it for she chuckled.

"Yes. Once a month, when I'm lucky." Sasuke was in a state of shock. _Once a month? __**Once a month?**_

"But you're alive!" Kiba yelled. Naruto smiled softly.

"Yeah, I tend to do that." Kurama jumped up on Naruto's shoulder, giving everyone a cold look.

"What he's saying is that, usually when he dies, he heals up and is up and about again."

They were gaping, wide eyes full of disbelief and probably thinking he was mad. "OK, every time he dies, not usually." Shukaku passively added.

"And this is why I said you're supposed to brush up on your history." Sakura, who was edging closer to the frozen Sasuke, said:

"Uzumaki's are a well-known family of Amalech's, old as Senju.." More shocking news and Sasuke was by now petrified. "They have a natural fox affinity, carry more than one power and are nearly impossible to kill." Naruto liked how she added the 'nearly'. Seeing the weird stares, she continued, by now nudging Sauske back into reality. "Some called it longevity, some self-healing. They were one of the most powerful clans in old times, before the Third Amalech war came." Naruto nodded.

"They were somehow killed, some of them escaping. Naruto's mother was one of them; she came to Konoha where I guess she met Naruto's father and…" Here, she blushed and stopped talking all together. Naruto gave her a grateful look, thanking her for speaking what he should have, but didn't want to. He still had problems with opening to people, Iruka and Sakura being an exception; more because they already knew nearly everything about him.

Naruto softly petted Kurama, who found it amusing to see so many stunned faces. Especially Uchiha's; _that_ was priceless.

"So…" Choji began, still stupefied by the news. "Basically, you are immortal?" Naruto blinked, and then turned to look at them all; everyone seemed to be thinking along the lines Choji muttered. Sighing to himself, knowing this will turn into a big headache later.

"No, I am quite mortal." Kurama went oddly silent after that, but Naruto decided he will think about it later. "Like everybody, I _am_ a human- powerful one, but human. I can still die from serious sickness, old age and… " There, he went silent, his eyes casting downwards. Sakura connected this kind of behavior; shutting himself, with his mother. Whenever he thought about her, he would become distant, dark and quiet. Meaning that whatever else he was going to mention was the thing that killed his mother. _And others Uzumaki's_, she though slowly.

She silently walked over to him and gripped the cold hand; his beautiful eyes quickly found hers and she offered him a gentle smile. Hoping he got the message that everything will be OK. That they were his friends and that they would never, ever hurt him.

Naruto breathed in relief; he was glad he had Sakura beside him. She was so kind, sweet and nice… How is it possible she didn't have a boyfriend yet? Then, with a grimace, he remembered her hellish strength.

_Oh yeah, that's why…_

**You okay brat?**

_I'm cool, Ku._

Turning his head to look at the red head and his tanuki, he noticed they were staring at him. The teen with badly hidden confusion, and tanuki with interest.

Detaching himself from the protesting Sakura, he walked over to them. Giving them a small grin he quietly motioned to the bar.

"Care for a drink?" The teen sized him up for second, before nodding slowly.

While the two, plus animals, made their way to the bar Sasuke seemed to brake from his stupor. The hell just happened? Naruto, the cheerful, mysterious Naruto was an almost-immortal Amalech? He could heal himself from any wound, control fire _and _wind… And who know what else? He was powerful, way beyond Sasuke's level! Yes, he was strong and had couple of powers, but self-healing? And according to Sakura, it was hereditary. Meaning if he had kids with some women, the kids too would be unstoppable! Somehow, Sasuke concluded, this thought didn't sit well with him.

And why was he conversing peacefully with guy that killed him? True to it, Naruto and the red head were sitting at the bar, sipping on their drinks- while Naruto cuddled the obviously in heaven Shukaku. And the red head… He had that interested look on his face…

Fuck!

Gaara was interested in the entity the blonde before him presented. To him, Shukaku was a mean to get more power so he would be able to protect himself from the hordes of assassins his father sent everywhere he went.

For Naruto, it seemed as his animal companion was a friend, a precious person. What was more, the other humans that were with him tonight, they were also precious to Naruto. How so? How is it that he, a human so alike Gaara managed to sire those bonds?

He didn't know, but he was determined to find out- one way or another. Beckoning Shukaku over, he left the club without any word.

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><p>Kurama contemplated staying home today- it's not like he had anything interested to do in school. Except from creeping out those humans. He he… Also, it would be quite interesting watching the littlest Uchiha twisting and bending his tiny brain cells over the mystery Naruto was. Ha! That settles it- he will go to school.<p>

He would like to say it was a normal reaction, but alas they never stayed too long to see if it was. Somebody (Ino) let their tongue loose and the whole school knew just _who _and _what _Uzumaki Naruto was. They called him an immortal, the pretty little humans whispering while they passed through the halls.

Kurama found it funny, and decided to express it with a loud roar of laughter. Naruto found it embarrassing and… weird. He never got used to attention; the only kind he received before in large numbers was when he was about to be murdered… Being proclaimed the strongest _Amalech _of today was a big unknown to him.

His uniqueness didn't stop the small company of friends Naruto acquired from hanging around him; no, it looked like they were more determined.

Kiba was shouting how awesome Naruto was, Ino was flirting further, TenTen was asking about his defensive mechanism against weapons, Hinata was fretting over whether it hurt, Rock Lee was proclaiming how youthful Naruto was, Shikamaru was asking about what towns he has visited so far, Choji was wondering about the food he ate and Sakura chastised him about not being careful enough.

And Sasuke? Well, let's just say he was now more interested in blonde and would allow himself to admit that maybe… The blonde was worth the turmoil that was cooking inside his stomach, mind and heart.

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><p><strong>AN: Do review, tell how it was, forgive me for lateness and shortness and… well, you already enjoyed it.**


	8. Interlude II

**A/N: Yeah so... Obviously, I've been busy. Quite busy.**

**Let me just tell you that the second year at University is HARD! I mean, I knew I wasn't the smartest kid in the bunch, but hell! I didn't think I was this dumb. **

**Ok, not dumb, but... unprepared. **

**And so, Uni consumed my sole being. When I wasn't suffering in the depths of hell known as studies, I was out- trying to rebuild those little nerves I had. **

**Meaning, I was beautifying my social life. **

**There are no words with which I can say how sorry I am (honestly guys, I forgot about ffnet). If, by chance, some of you were scared I would drop my stories, stop. There's no way I 'll leave my little babies alone, without giving my wonderful readers and reviewers a chance to finish it.**

**As you can see, this'll be the first one to upload. Why? Coz I just love this chappie. And it does explain a bit of what happened to Uzumaki's.**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: Naruto, unfortunately, isn't mine. It belongs to ever-the troller, Masashi Kishimoto.<strong>

**Warning: Some cursing, MinaKushi, OOC, OC and some dead people. Slightly canon-ish, but still AU.**

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><p>INTERLUDE II<p>

The fifth of May turned out to be a wonderful, sunny day. Gone were all the traces of the gentle rain that seeped the night before, for even the ground stood solid; if not a bit mushy.

The sky above Konoha was amazingly blue and clear, with just a bit of puffy clouds soaring across the endless plate, joined in by the birds of all sizes and colors. They were letting out a beautiful sound of happiness, greeting the human's way under then; wishing them a glorious day.

Frankly, to her it seemed like mocking for not being able to fly. And she just knew the bloody sun was shining right into her eyes, just for the heck of it. To others, this was a joyous, regular day.

To Uzumaki Kushina, this was the dooms day; as she nicely tagged it. For this was the day she was to officially start living in Konoha with the only family she had left (which wasn't that closed, blood related and all).

It's not she had anything against Konoha or her aunt… As much as she could see, Konoha was a nice, homely town with barely any extravagance. But, but…

Kushina loved her home. She adored every nook and cranny of the Uzushio; from the towering buildings and the jolly morning market on the B block, to the spidery tunnels and the boat swimming competition in July. She loved how the sky turned just a bit reddish when it was time to great the night, or that particular bridge where she used to threw the boys who teased her off.

Uzushio was her home, her sanctuary and there was no place on the whole Earth that could change that. Not even Konoha, with its courteous clerks and warm, steamy coffee from the machine.

Kushina wriggled a bit on the bench, feeling the rays of warm sunshine seeping into her clothes and making it unbearable to breathe, just a bit.

She raked her fingers through the long, silvery waterfall of blood locks; careful not to destroy the hairdo. It took her time to learn to braid just like her mother and she will _not _allow others or herself to destroy the hard work she put into this hair just few hours ago.

Pouting her full, red from biting lips; she turned to look towards the parking zone. Her aunt should be here already. Sure, Kushina knew her address, but there was no way in hell she was to carry all these bags by herself!

She glanced down at her black dress; it was the very first one her cousin Mei bought her when Kushina started showing signs of womanhood. Kushina made sure to wear only to special occasions, even if it was the most ordinary dress in the world. For her, it was treasure, because this was the only thing left from Mei she had… now, that her whole family is dead.

With difficulties, she swallowed the tears; refusing to dwell into the last memories of her brother she had. Why did it have to be her, the only one to run and hide? Why?!

"Kushina Uzumaki?"

She turned viciously, swallowing the tears back and focusing her velvety eyes on the woman in front of her. The blonde pig tailed lady looked like she was barely over twenty, her whole face stretched into a glowing smile.

"Auntie Tsunade?" She asked meekly, barely holding back the tears she saw were starting to appear in the amber eyes of the only Uzumaki Kushina had.

"Welcome to Konoha darling. Let's get you settled."

Accepting the smooth hand of the older woman, Kushina looked towards the sky; giving it one sad smile.

'Just watch me mommy, daddy, brother. I'll turn this town upside down and let them know that _nobody _messes with an Uzumaki.'

Tsunade seemed to know what her young charge was thinking about, for she gave one wicked smirk of her own; snatching the bags around Kushina like they were nothing and taking long, secure steps towards the only car left on the parking.

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><p>The first time Kushina entered the vast Hi no Kōkō, the <em>Amalech <em>schooling academy, she got the impression of the typical west side schools. Except, there were people shooting flames, spitting bugs and even turning to birds out here. She chuckled, seeing a girl that looked like a drowned mouse; apologizing profusely to the boy she just knocked over with her water stream.

Tsunade, who turned out to be her sensei, pushed her in front of her; into the class Kushina will start listening to from this point on. The pissed off amber eyes were enough to stop all the activities going on in the classroom and to get everybody to sit tightly and silently.

"Brats, we have a new student. Introduce yourself sweetie." Kushina blushed a bit, just now noticing by the incredulous eyes that Tsunade was not that of an angel towards anyone.

"Hello." She started bowing slightly, showing off just what her parents taught her. "My name is Kushina Uzumaki. Before anyone asks, yes I'm an Amalech." She said, rolling her eyes at the quickly reddening boy to the left of her. "And if you really don't know what kind of powers I wield, then your history teacher sucks." Tsunade chuckled, before rushing Kushina to the seat in the back; right behind some girly looking blonde dude who was gaping at her like a fish the whole time throughout her speech.

Kushina gave him a slight glare, making him twitch and turn back to the front of the classroom. She was satisfied her introducing time went better than the one in the school back at home ('_My name's Kushina 'ttebane! You all remember than coz that's what you'll be screaming to your mommies when I'm done with kicking all of your lily asses!_'). Yeah, much better.

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><p>During the five minute break the class had in between classes, Kushina was surrounded by three silly looking boys (really, are they all colorblind?!) who began teasing her.<p>

"And your hair is stupid! Look at it, it looks like tomato!"

"Yeah, I bet you eat tomatoes all day long!"

"Tomato-chan! Tomato-chan!"

Kushina's cheeks reddened slightly in anger. Her hair was her weak point; it wasn't her fault it was unruly and ugly! And it so didn't go well with her round face.

She caught the alarming look of that girly boy. Raising her nose in the air, she spoke to the three idiots in front of her.

"My dad always said my hair is more like a river of blood, than a crate of tomatoes." Metaphor didn't seem to be working on these guys, so she just settled for the good old beating the crap out of them.

Which she did, gladly and spectacularly so- maybe pulling on a bit of her reserves to strengthen her fists and legs.

By the end of the brawl, Kushina was the only one standing, smiling proudly; her leg pushing one of the boys face into the floor.

"And I _hate _tomatoes." She added, just for the sake of it. That Blondie guy was gaping at her (again), caught in between of smiling back at her and running away as fast as he could.

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><p>It took time, but the words 'Don't mess with the Habanero' quickly spread through the school <em>and <em>town. Tsunade couldn't be prouder of her little niece, which allowed Kushina to do basically everything that she wished. It was good having the strongest and most respectful woman as your parent in town.

Sadly, Kushina's antics didn't bring her many friends, but those who did stick with her were surely one of the best connections she ever made.

Her bestest friend in the whole world had to be Mikoto-chan; the pale, raven beauty of the Uchiha clan. She knew how to do all those silly things girls were meant to know (sewing, housekeeping and beautifying) and she gladly taught (drilled into) Kushina everything. Also, Mikoto-chan was the sweetest girl around; if you didn't mess with her when she was on period. God help you then.

Mikoto-chan and her started their long lasting friendship over a cup of ramen Kushina masterfully threw at one boy that was bullying what he thought was the weakest Uchiha around. After the two girls kicked the boy's sense out of him, they introduced and Mikoto-chan invited her to have lunch with her from now on. Which was a good thing; Mikoto-chan's home cooked bento' were much better than anything cafeteria had to offer.

The second friend she made was a wild looking girl named Tsume with whom Kushina could talk all day long about pranks and brawls; the girl loved it as much as she did! Not to mention, they were both animal lovers to the core.

Somehow in the middle of spending her days filled with Mikoto-chan's extraordinary bento' and Tsume's latest plots on how to torture the poor sap that dared to kick that lonely puppy that hang around school; Kushina met Shikaku Nara. The laziest boy in the world.

There really was no story how they met; he simply caught sniff of Mikoto's home cooked food and followed them to the roof from then on. Mikoto-chan was glad somebody else enjoyed her food, Tsume was pissed because a boy entered their gang and Kushina? After she found out that he was a genius in hiding she decided to use it well and dump all of her homework on him.

True, he complained but did it anyway. Something about being it too troublesome to stand up for himself.

Along with Shikaku came Yoshino, who had like the biggest crush on the boy since ever… Like Mikoto-chan, she was sweet, polite and docile… Only until you refused to comply with her wishes. Seeing her boss around Shikaku, the girls concluded she was to blame for his lethargy.

Shikaku's best friends; Inoichi and Choza, quickly got wind of their clique and decided to join it. Choza was in it probably for the food, Kushina concluded long time ago… And Inoichi seemed to love making noise and mess together with Tsume.

Now, the Hyuuga twins approaching them and politely asking if they could become friends. That took them all by surprise.

Though nothing Kushina couldn't handle. She loved having friends and precious ones; it made her fill safe, happy and fulfilled. The more she had them, the bigger her resolve to become stronger and protect them was.

It only helped she was nearly impossible to kill; which, by the way, the prick Mikoto-chan dated, Fugaku-teme, still hated her for. How the two found each other was totally illogical to Kushina's brain.

And then the miracle ('_the horror_' screamed Kushina) happened.

The time was nearing to the fifteenth summer Kushina will spend when a boy ('_Minato Namikaze_' her ever the information center Tsume, supplied '_The most popular guy in school! He has dozens of fangirls and can literally travel at the speed of light!_') Came up to her, while she was waiting for Mikoto-chan to say her goodbyes to her snuggle muffin; in the hallway where everyone could see them and asked her out.

He, Minato Namikaze, asked the horror and tremor of the school Kushina the Bloody Habanero out. Complimenting her hair somewhere in between 'Would you fancy a date?' and 'I liked you since you entered the Academy.'

She could barely hear the cries of the fangirls that surrounded them; she was too entrapped into the blue mazes that were his eyes. It is a wonder how she never noticed those eyes; they were so clear and deep… They were the color of the sea her family used to vacate on. There was a determined shine in those depths that seemed to swallow whole Kushina's being. He heart was thumping wildly, because:

1. This was the first time a boy asked her out;

2. The boy who asked her out was Minato Namikaze, for God's sakes!

3. He just called her bloody hair wonderful and amazing;

4. He _likes _her _and _her _**hair!**_

His face showed nothing but his seriousness and maybe a bit of embarrassment. Much later, she will find out he was trembling on the spot, simply knowing if she rejected him then and there he would have dropped dead. He was exaggerating, but which teen isn't a bit of a drama queen. Heavens know Kushina is.

Kushina licked her lips, pushing away the blush that threatened to color her face. She was not made for blushes, definitely. It horribly clashed with her hair... Then again, Minato liked her hair?!

Pulling herself out of the stupor caused by his stupid eyes and words, she scowled.

"Are you out of your mind?" He refused to take a step away, enduring her scathing look like a proud male he was.

"I have no bloody idea who you are, or how much money you're getting out of this bet…" Minato opened his mouth to deny her claim, but she shushed him quickly. "But hell to the no."

With that she turned around, never getting to see the crestfallen look that seemed to consume the young blonde. Or the determined glint that over took his face, before he too walked away.

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><p>"Go out with me."<p>

"No."

"Please?"

"Back off Namikaze."

"Pretty please with cherry on top?"

"What makes you think I'll change my mind after a year of refusing you?"

"My godly looks and devastating charm?"

"HahaHa… You're so delusional it's not even funny."

"Aww, c'mon Kushina-chan! Just one date? I promise it will be the best one you'll ever have!"

"Are you a Seer?"

"What? No."

"Neither am I. But I just know dating you would be a pain in the ass."

"It can't be that bad. Look, all the girls like me!"

"I'm not any girl."

"I know that's why I like you."

"So you do realize that a girl like me deserves a top notch, one in a million kind of guy."

"But I am that guy! I'm the best looking guy around, I'm the smartest, the fastest, the wittiest _and _the most lovable guy you'll ever meet! What more do you want?!"

"Ego maniacs really don't suit me."

"Kushina-chan!"

The red headed beauty sighed, hiding the small grin that bloomed on her face. Namikaze was really pathetic. Since that day year ago, he hasn't stop asking her out, begging for one date. He even infiltrated their little clique, just so he could beg some more.

The girls were smitten by his try outs to woo Kushina; Mikoto-chan kept sending her signals that she should go out with the boy. Yoshino and Tsume bashed her head every time she said no, though Tsume did more out of enjoyment than anything.

Shikaku and Inoichi told her numerous times that she should just get it over and date the poor sap; hasn't he already proven he was the classical love fool?

Even Tsunade was full of praises for him, blessing him for not getting any ticks from that blasted foster parent of his.

Kushina sneaked a peek towards the sulking Namikaze; true, he was handsome, charming and smart. The girl's prince charming. This was the main problem in the dilemma Kushina had.

There were so many girls asking for Kushina's head because of Minato chasing her, that every night before she went to sleep she prayed gratefully to the Gods for her healing. Those bloody flying forks hurt like a bitch.

However, as much of a problem Minato was; he truly was a prince charming in everything else. Every time anybody dared to insult, hurt or even look wrongly at Kushina; he was there to lecture, and sometimes beat, the insolent fool. Therefore making it unnecessary for her to dirty the lovely hands of hers.

Did she mention he had a habit of praising her hair along the way?

Kushina closed her locker, turning back to look at the blonde Namikaze. Gods, he truly was a sun in a form of a human! Blinking, for his grin nearly blinded her, she sighed yet again.

"Look… Minato." She chuckled at his whoop of joy for finally being called by his given name. "If I agree to go out on a date with you, and I don't like it... Will you please let this whole thing about dating go?"

He pouted for a second, before nodding enthusiastically.

"Yep! If I suck that much, I swear I will not bother you for a date anymore."

She smiled softly, knowing that if one thing was true it was that Namikaze never goes back on his word. After all, he did get a date out of her.

"Ok."

Unfortunately, or maybe _fortunately _Kushina loved it. How couldn't she, when she fell in love with him that day he complimented her hair for the first time? And kept doing so every single day they spent together in Konoha.

Kushina was sure she would lead a happy, fulfilled life with her friends and love in the years to come.

If it wasn't for that man, who knew the secret of her early demise and was hell bent on using her barely conceived child for his foul plans; she would've.

She knew fighting him won't get her nowhere; he was even more powerful than the Sanins combined. And, she had a child to think about.

Hoping that Minato and everybody else would forgive her, she turned to what she knew best; running. Away from Konoha, away from Minato and most importantly, away from the mask wearing man that killed her family.

If it wasn't for her own ray of sunshine, her sweet little Naruto, she would have died of loneliness.

This way, she was safe and had a little piece of Minato with her all the time. An angel that loved her equally, if not more, than her lovely idiot.

"Mamma…" Squeaked the miniature Minato in her arms, reaching his hand upwards. "Mamma has such a pretty hair…"

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><p><strong>AN I'm sure you all know what to do now... Do tell me if you liked the MinaKushi insert. **


	9. Chapter VI

**Disclaimer: **Naruto does not belong to me. Please refer to Masashi Kishimoto for author rights.

**Warning: **OOC, AU, some cursing and one sided SasuNaruSasu

**A/N: **I'm so lazy, but at the same time so busy that it's not even funny. When did I last update this?! Two years ago?! **_HOLLY MOTHER OF LOG! _**Kh-khm... Summimasen.

Also, sorry for any grammar mistakes. Look, look, I'm already kissing the floor!

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><p>Sasuke grumbled for the umpteenth time that day, hearing Naruto's and his mother voices giggling away at some inside joke they had. His eyes cut through the looks the pasty ghost and the blonde idiot gave him, before they started chuckling and whispering again.<p>

They were probably gossiping about him, he thought. Judging by Naruto's duckass comments, it was most accurately about his hair. Curse them.

He started playing with a small flicker of fire he summoned, transferring it from one hand to another, not even bothering to focus on keeping it under control, knowing _his _control was better than most Amalech had. Well, not batter than Itachi, according to everyone and his family. Sasuke scowled.

He wondered when would Itachi arrive home, or whether will his father finally exit his study... He's been lock up in there for weeks..

Sasuke sighed... He was probably the only person on this planet that still had to deal with obnoxious, demanding parents, even after their death.

Naruto's phone rang and a loud shout of ''Gaara!'' brought more gloom to Sasuke's mood and face... That blasted red head... Ever since they met him at the club, he has been stalking Naruto, waiting for him after school, hanging around the Uchiha's Manor, calling the blonde every 18 minutes... believe him, Sasuke counted.

A long series of gushing, excited sounds issued, and Sasuke was stuck with avoiding the pointed look Mikoto gave him. Not his fault his eyebrow twitches every time that stupid idiotic blonde affectionately calls Gaara's name.

Quenching his fire, Sasuke rose up and headed to the kitchen, just about at the same time Naruto started screaming everybody's ears off with his demands Gaara visit him. Or vice-verse, as it seems it has been decided ten minutes later, when Sasuke entered the premises of their living room with a tomato juice in hand.

"Oi Sasuke, I'm going over to Gaara's! Wanna come?"

'No I don't want to come, you waste of space!'

"You need a ride?"

Naruto's cheeks reddened, and the thin fingers rose to scratch the back of the golden head.

"He-heh, well if you offer..."

"Pft. Fine." He chugged his juice in one go, trying not to feel a bit giddy, said his goodbye's (whilst still avoiding Mikoto's far too large smile) and pulled Naruto away. He let go of his hand the second he started his own sweating and marched over to his car.

Well, technically, it was one of Itachi's, but who cared? Sasuke was certain Naruto never rode this one before.

"I'm no car enthusiast or anything, but this baby is _sweet_!"

Sasuke smirked, starting up the car and letting the googly eyed dobe hear the gentle purr.

It took him time to notice there wasn't a sarcastic fox anywhere near them, but one look at Naruto's far to big stomach explained everything.

"Heh." Naruto bashfully answered his stern look.

Sasuke rotated the car, before exiting the Uchiha grounds. The silence that followed lasted for two minutes, tops.

"Hey, wanna grab something to eat before we visit Gaara?"

Ah, he should've known. Naruto was probably bored out of his mind in the house and none of his friends wanted to play with him.

"Tch."

Sasuke refused to answer, but after failing to comply to GPS instruction on where to turn to go to Gaara's street, Naruto gave him a big smile.

"You any good ramen place?"

"Hn."

"Oh good, I was afraid this town lacked it."

"Tss."

"Like, this one time, when I was in Iron Country..."

Their whole outing was filled with Naruto's crazy stories of his travels and Sasuke's affectionate grunts (Not that Naruto noticed the feelings behind them), interrupted occasionally with Naruto's heavenly praises to Teuchi, the owner of the only ramen stand in Konoha, his happy slurps and Gaara's phone calls.

Sasuke thought it was a good day spent, all in all, before Gaara appeared before them in his majestic glory, on his buffed up motorcycle. He scowled, sending over a bit of killer intent... Not that it was noticed by the two.

Kurama, who had stayed silent the whole time, decided to dig out of Naruto's jacket, his fluffy head that is, a sent a lazy blink to the fellow ginger. Naruto mumbled something excitedly to Gaara, but Sasuke's raising hot temper made his brain fail to comprehend what.

"Hey Sasuke..."

Sasuke slammed the money on the counter and rose up, not even bothering to look at their faces.

"I guess Gaara can give you a ride."

"What? No, that's not... Hey wait!"

Without stopping to listen to the boy, Sasuke hastily opened and slammed the car door, jerking the keys in ignition and stepping hard on the gas pedal.

Naruto was left to stare dumbstruck at the storm of dust the youngest Uchiha left behind, the tips of his fingers that reached for him hurting like a bitch. He stared down at them, seeing the skin already regrowing, before turning towards Gaara.

"Weirdo. Anyways, where were we?"

Gaara's lips twitched.

"You were just about to invite the Uchiha and me to the movies."

Naruto gave another look back to the road the Uchiha just took.

"Screw him. I ain't got time for prissy princesses."

And here he was, starting to think Uchiha Sasuke was a decent human being, before he went all Primadonna on his ass. He shouldn't have listened to Mikoto's request at all...

"So how about you let me meet that smoking hot sister of yours?"

Gaara's bored, but pointed look said everything. Naruto guaffed.

"Kidding!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Not forcing you to review, but... please do.


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